Why do ultra-patriotic rednecks feel they should define what the United States is?

There’s a channel I recently came by. He’s a guy who calls himself “Wild Bill for America”. I won’t say his real name on here, or use his face as a pic, because conservatives like himself tend to love the DMCA and thus would probably file complaints.

But here’s the question I have for my readers? Why do people like this feel they should define the image the United States of America should have? Middle aged, Southern (or Texan), Republican, cowboy types have been calling themselves the “heart of America” for so long that in my travels abroad, I have found people in other countries actually think we’re all like this! And this is considering that people outside the US typically know a lot more about the US than Americans generally know about people outside the US. Ever since cowboy President Ronald Reagan came into office, the United States became a redneck country, or at least, it presented itself as such. This phenomenon accelerated under George W. Bush, especially after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Right wing, pro-war rednecks got to claim stake to what it means to be American, all the while calling anyone different from themselves “unAmerican”.

This Wild Bill honestly doesn’t seem like such a bad guy. In all honesty, I would say he’s probably a good person. But what scares me about his kind is how they believe the US belongs to them and them only, and the type of America they would like to replace this one with. They represent a very small segment of the US population, but like to think of themselves as the majority voice for the country (phrases like “moral majority” are often used in their circles). Wild Bill supports a whole host of far right causes such as combining church and state against the original intent of the First Amendment, aggressive foreign policy, getting rid of reproductive rights for women and handing guns to anyone who can say “I want a gun”. Do I even need to mention that conservative causes always favour corporations over the people that work for them?

These type of people often think they’re doing God’s work, but as a Christian myself, I have to say that nobody who favours the powerful over the powerless, the rich over the poor, and the strong over the weak, is in that boat. At least not if you actually believe what Jesus said.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. – Matthew 5:5

Who are the meek? Well, they’re probably not the Koch brothers. They’re probably not Donald Trump or the Bushes, or the Clintons, to be fair. They’re probably not you (because if you’re reading this, you’re likely privileged in one way or another), or me (because I’ve been privileged in a lot of ways). They’re people who did everything they could to make this world better, but got zero recognition for it. They’re people who could not protect themselves. Even if you don’t believe in an afterlife, you have to ask, would it be fair to give the best rewards to those who already had it so grand here on Earth?

So no, Wild Bill, you’re not the only one who is for America. I’m calm, my name’s not Bill, and I am not a cowboy. Don’t tell me I’m not for America too. This country is not one big Garth Brooks concert. But then again, maybe it should be. Garth Brooks once wrote a song talking about race, nor sexual orientation, being important, and us all living together peacefully. Ya know, all the stuff conservatives don’t like. 😉